Importance of Dispatcher Training for Emergency Preparedness
The recent California forest fires illustrate the importance of proper dispatcher training. On October 8, 2017, a handful of fires exploded onto the scene in Sonoma County. Panicked residents called 911 in droves, only to be put on hold or given the proverbial runaround. Why did this happen? It happened because the emergency dispatch center experienced the “3 U’s” of poor performance – they were undertrained, understaffed, and underprepared.
What Went Wrong with the California Dispatcher Training?
The bottom line is that no dispatcher training was provided to enable them to help people trapped by a forest fire. This seems like an extreme oversight, given that California is fast becoming the wildfire capital of the U.S. I certainly don’t get it. Another gap is that residents were not adequately warned of the threat, a problem exacerbated by antiquated technology.
Improvements Coming
The good news is that the situation offers a great opportunity to develop and implement lessons learned, a process that is well underway within the county.
For example, the training gap is well understood, and emergency officials are in the process of making improvements to dispatcher training strategies and tactics. Specifically, REDCOM, Sonoma County’s fire and medical dispatch office, is rewriting scripts and talking points so that dispatchers are better equipped to help someone trapped in a life or death situation. Hopefully, the new and improved scripting will be a resounding success, such that similar tactics are adopted in dispatch centers across the U.S.
From a technology standpoint, new Q&A tools are being rolled out, such as an interactive tool that enables workers to input questions and answers into a computer in order to receive specific instructions to help each caller. In addition, wireless / cellphone alerts are being considered to replace the current landline-calling system.
Hopefully, these improvements will improve dispatcher training and ultimately help enhance emergency preparedness in California and beyond.
